Firearm



R. J. ALDEN Dec. 3l, 1929.-

FIREARM Filed April 27, 1928 Y a@ 4 im J IIIIIIIII 95@ .QN mm mm f5 INVENTOR.

f r iV ATTORNEYS'.

Patent Dec. 31, 1929 EEGINALD J'. ALBEN, 0F FITCHBUBG, MASSACHUSETTS s FIBEABM Application Vfiled April 27,

This invention relates to hand supported firearms, and more particularly to a type of gun or pistol which is employed primarily for defensive purposes at short range; and thisf application is a continuation in part of an application Serial No. 38,776, filed by me in the United States Patent Oihce on June 22, 1925.

Une object of the invention, as in the form mer case, is to provide a small compact gun for the purpose above referred to, which is adapted to be conveniently grasped in the hand and substantially concealed thereby, said object being accomplished in large measure by the novel form or shape of the gun as well as by the novel combination and arrangement of parts.

In such a gun for defense purposes, it is u referable to employ a cartridge with a pro- )ectile of non-metallic and relatively soft material and so designed ballistically that the projectile will deliver a heavy blow with relativel small penetrative power. The projecti e should be relatively light but should be discharged at high velocity. Accordingly, the dimensions of the cartridge with respectto the gun will be much larger than in the usual firearm, and the design of the present gun is such that the cartridge chamber may constitute the greater part of the guns length,-the mechanism of the gun being so simplified as to keep `it in suiiicientlyv small compass for being grasped by the hand.

Furthermore, in order to lessen the range and penetrative power of the projectile being fired without reducing the force of the impact at short range upon the object hit, I have adopted a modification in which the chamber and barrel of the gun are of nonround or oval shape to receive a cartridge of similar contour. This will minimize the tendency of the projectile to spin on its axis, which in other guns is so highly desirable for long range accuracy and penetrative power. The oval shape of the cartridge chambers in the n also lends itself to a construction of gun body which may be very thin and fiat for more convenient carrying.

Another object 1s to provide a *gun having V50 novel features of construction and operation 1828. Serial No. 273,407.

which result in numerous radvantages which will be more particularly referred to in the following description of the invention which 1s illustrated in the form at present preferred by means of the accompanying drawings. in which: l

Fig. l is aplan view of a gun including the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, showina modified form of the invention;

1g. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view looking at the right-hand end of the gun as it is shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a view showing a form of cartridge for use with the modified form of the gun shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, the main frame or body 2 is preferably formed from a single piece or block of metal to a shape and cross section best shown in Figs. 3 or 4. The body 2 is designed to house all the mechanism of the gun and to provide an exterior surface suited as thehand grip for the gun. It has a straight line longitudinal axis about which the parts and mechanism may be disposed more or less symmetrically for properly balancing the weight and for'compactness. In the preferred form shown, I have provided a double barrel gun with a complete duplication of mechanism for each barrel, whereby each may be independentlyoperated.

Separatebores or cartridge chambers 3 -extend from the muzzle of the gun, forming the barrel portion thereof, which bores communicate with an enlarged recess or breech mechanism chamber 5 at the rear portion of the gun. Substantially the entire length of the bores 3 and 4 constitute cartridge?` chambers for the cartridges C, and it will be noted that these cartridge chambers or bores 3 and 4 are more than one half the length of the entire gun. As shown, the breech mechanism chamber 5 is substantially closed at its sides and front end except for the apertures 11 in the front wall thereof for the firing pin,

hereinafter mentioned, and the slots 14 in the side/wali'thereof for receiving the sears S, hereinafter mentioned. In other Words, this cartridge chamber has no side opening therein for the introduction `of a cartridge in loading the firearm. The rear end of the chamber 5 is open (except as closed by the hinged cover plate 18, hereinafter described) and it is through this open end that the cartridges are loaded into the gun and the empty shells removed. i

I breech block 6 fits snugly within the chamber 5 and is arranged to be slidable into and out ofthe chamber for opening and closing the breech. The breech block 6 is entirely removedfroin the chamber 5 When it4 is desired to load the gun or to remove empty shells. l The breech block 6 is provided with I two bores 4, the rear open ends of which are closed by a transverse plate 7 slidably dovetailed in the rear end of the breech block 6. Mounted for a sliding movement in the bores of the breech block are hollow cylindrical .-ring pins 9, each ofwhich has a striker 10 at the forward end thereof vadapted to project through apertures 11 at the forward end of the breech block bores 4. Firing pin springs 12 are provided as shown, partially housed in the hollow ring pins 9 for proper guiding and bearing against the rear end plate 7 of the breech block. Narrow slots 14 at the upper and lower sides of the breech block 6 expose the forward end of the firing pins for engagement with sears S, which are I Y preferably formed as integral parts of trigits closed position.

gers T.

The rear open end of the breech mechanism chamber is closed by a. cover plate 18 hinged at 19 which is adapted when closed to bear against the outer end of the breech block 6. A latch 20, pivoted in the body, is adapted to extend into latching' engagement with a slotted upper end 18" of the .cover plate 18 and a coil spring 21, coiled about the pivot, is arranged to urge the latch 20 downwardly into the-slot 18 so asto lock the plate 18 in The ltriggers and safetyv mechanism for each barrel consist of the triggers T and safeties 22, the former of which are pivoted4 in longitudinal slots 23 at opposite sides of the; body while the latter are slidably mounted in said slots. .The triggers comprise hat lever members having integral therewith the.

depending sears S at the rear ends thereof and trigger finger pieces or buttons 24 at their forward-ends. AThe sears S extend through suitable slots in the frame and the breech block 6 so as to be engageable with the forward ends ofthe firing pins 9, while the finger pieces or buttons 24 of the triggers extend outwardly through the slots 28 for being pressed by the linger of the operator.

Sear and trigger springs 25 are located beneath the nger piece-24 of thev trigger, as

shown, and normally tend to restore the triggers to active position and to urge the sears rearwardly along the slots of the body by springs 2? and have ledges 28 for engaging beneath shoulders 29 on the lower side of the triggers so as to hold the triggers from being depressed and in a safety position. l rEhe safeties are automatic in their action so that at all times the triggers are held safe except when the safeties are being manually held away. Plates 30, slidably fitted in the frame, are arranged to close up the upper open sides of the slots 23 andv conceal the triggers and allow only the finger pieces 24 thereof to be exposed for operation.

1t will be observed that the trigger extends lengthwise of the body so as to have its finger piece adjacent the forward end of the body for convenient pressure by the thumb of the operator when gripping the gun. It will also be noted that the safety 22 islocated closely adjacent the finger piece and has a movement at right angles thereto so that the thumb of the operator may simultaneously lengage both the safety and trigger and by a slight movement operate successively the safety and trigger for firing. i

Extractors are provided in the breech block which preferably comprise enlarged that the hooks may engage with cartridges lin the upper and lowerchambers; and suitable recesses are provided in the body to allow a free movement of the extractor hooks when the breech block is in place.

The operation of loading and firing is as follows. l Assuming the gun to be empty, the

rear cover plate 18 is unlatched and swung to open position, andthebreech block 6 is removed v.from the breechmechanism chamber. The cart-ridges are then introduced into the --cartridge chambers 3 and the breech block is re-inserted into the breech mechanisml chamber 5. The forward thrust of the breech block 6 to its' breech .closed position causes the sears S, which extend-through the .slots 14 of the breech block, to engage-in front of the firing pins 9 andhold the same back zgainst the'tensionvvof the springs 12, ythus e ecting the cooking` action. I The breech block is held in its breech closed position by the V closed cover plate 18 locked vby latch20. The gun is then readyto be fired, which is 'accomplished by pressing the cartridge C is made (as piece for thumb simultaneously upon the safety 22 and finger piece 24 of the trigger,-the safet being first thrust slightly forward an the finger piece beine' pressed inwardly. It is obvious that both z`barrels -o the gun are similarly fired. After firing, the empty shells are ejected b unlatching and opening cover plate 18 an removing the breech block 6 which, by means of the extractors, withdraws the empty shells from the gun.

The modification of the gun and cartridge shown in Figs. 4 and 7 is designed for the purpose of making Va very thin, flat body 2'Y for more convenient carrying and also for providing the ballistic qualities desired in this form of weapon. In this case, the cartridge chambers 3 of the barrel portion of the gun are made oval or non-round in shape and with their major axes in line, so that the/ body of tlie'gun may be thinner than in the construction shown in Fig. 3; and a special shown in Fig. 7 for fitting such chamber. It is found, when a projectile is fired from a non-round, oval cartridge and barrel such as here shown, that it will have little tendency to take up a rotary or spinning movement on its long axis. This will shorten its trajectory and its penetrative power; but at close range such aprojectile will have sufiicient power of impact to accomplish the results desired.

What I claim is:

l. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body having a straight line longitudinal axis and comprising a barrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, said body being formed with hand grip symmetrically disposed about its axis, a ring pin, a sear lfor holding said firingpin in cocked position, a trigger for releasing said sear, said trigger extending lengthwise of said body with a finger piece adjacent the forward'end thereof, and a safetyl mounted in said body adjacent to said trigger fingerpiecewherebythe same finger of the operator may simultaneously engage both the safety and the finger successive operation thereof.

2. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body having a straiggit line longitudinal axis and comprising a arrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, said body being formed with a hand grip symmetrical- Vl disposed about its axis, a firing pin, a sear {br-holding said firing pin in cocked position, a trigger'for releasing said sear, independent of said trigger for cooking said VI- firing'p'im'said' trigger being pivoted in said body a finger piece ad]acent and extending lengthwise thereof with said body for an inward movement releasing said sear, a safety mounted in said body adjacent said trigger .finger piece for a movement lengthwise of .said body and being spring'actuated to normally prevent the operation of said trigger,

Ving said firing pin in cocked position,

and means y the forward end of whereby the same finger of the operatorma simultaneously engage both the safety an the finger piece for the successive operations thereof.

3. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body having a straight line longitudinal axis and comprising a barrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, said lbody being formed with a hand grip symmetrically disposed about its axis, a breech block movable in said breech mechanism chamber for opening and closing the breech, a firing pin mounted in said breech block, a sear for holdsaid firing pin being arranged so as to be cocked by the movement of said breech block in said chamber, and 'a'trigger for releasing said sear.

4. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body having a straight line longitudinal axis and comprising a barrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, said body being formed with a hand grip symmetrically disposed about its axis, a breech block removably fitted in said breech mechanism charnber, means -for locking said breech block in breech closed position, a firing pin mounted in said breech block, a sear for holding said firing pin in cocked position, the breech closing movement of said breech block acting ,to cock said firing pin, and a trigger for releasing .said sear.

5. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body comprising a barrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, said breech mechanism chamber having substantially closed side walls and an open rear end through which said firearm is adapted to be loaded. a breech block removably fitted in said chamber and arranged to be removed in loading said firearm and to be introduced into said chamber for closing the breech, means for locking said breech block in position, a firing pin mounted in said breech block, a sear mounted in said body for holding said firing pin iii cocked position` the breech closing movement of said breech block acting to cock said firing pin, and a trigger Jfor releasing saidsear.

6. In a hand supported firearm, in combination, a body comprising a barrel portion and a breech mechanism chamber, mechanism chamber having an open rear en through which said firearm is adapted to be loaded, a breech block removably fitted in said chamber for closing the breech, a cover at the rear open endof said chamber for locking said breech block .in position, a firing pin mounted in said breech block, a sear mounted in said body for holding said firing pin rin cocked position, the breech closing movement of said breech block acting to cock said firing pin, and a trigger for releasing said sear.

7. In combination, afire arm having a barrel with an elliptically shaped and smooth iso d and said trigger being operable by said bore, andan elliptically shaped cartridge fitting in said'barrel carrying an elliptically shaped projectile for being iired from said l barrel Without having any definite spinning action imparted thereto.

8. ln combination, a hand supported lire arm comprising a body of elongated flattened form symmetrically disposed about a straight line longitudinal axis, two barrels'formed in l said body each having an elliptically shaped bore and disposed with their major axes in line and an elliptically shaped cartridge for fitting in said barrel carrying an ellptically shaped projectile.

9. lin a hand supported rearm, in combination, an oblong block-like body having a straight longitudinal axis and comprising a barrel portion and a breech chamber portion with closed side Walls and adapted to be opened at the rear for loading, the exterior of said barrel and breech chamber portions forming a continuous surface substantially parallel to the axis vof said body and serving as the hand grip for said firearm, a trigger button protruding from said surface for pressure operation in tiring,- firing mechanism mounted Within said body comprising a spring operated firing pin, a trigger and sear for controlling the operation of said firing pin, said sear acting` to fixedly hold said ring pin in cocked position until released,

trigger button for releasing said scar.`

10. In a hand supported firearm, incombination, an oblong block-like body having a straight longitudinal axis and comprising a barrel'portion anda breech chamber portion with closed side walls and adapted toA be opened at the rear for loading, the exterior of said barrell and breech chamber portions .forming a continuous surface substantially parallel to the'y axis of said body and serving as the hand grip for said ;irearm,`al trigger buttonlv protruding 'from said surface .for pressure operation in firing, firing mechanism mounted Within said 'bodycomprising a` spring operated ring pin, la trigger .and sear for` controlling the operation of said firing pin, said sear acting to xedly hold said fir-V ing pin in ceckedfposition until released,

sa1d trigger being operable 'by saidtrigger button for releasing'said s ear,'and a safety 4"movable in position for preventing the opera- I' nature. 130.`

[tion of said trigger,;,saidsafetyhaving a portion protruding from the body near 'the front end thereoffor operation by the n'ger when` grasping the firearm;v :n A, 1n testimony whereof I have affixed my sig#- i nEG-iNAnn J ALBEN. 

